Saturday, July 11, 2015

For the most part, I've been trying to focus on the really simple things. Those truly, simple, sweet moments that I'm usually too scatterbrained and hurried to barely give a glance to. I wish I could say that I'm always succeeding at this...somehow I still get caught up in the 'getting there' mindset instead of enjoying the journey. I really must try harder. These first few pics are from the last few days of spring; I didn't realize until after I choose them that they all have a water theme...another recurring theme as of late.

A solitary white duck lazing about in the shade next to a pond.

Mushrooms that popped up on a mulch pile the day after a rainstorm.

Dew drops at the local city garden.

Seaweed, the Sea Serpent

The summer has had a bittersweet start to it. In discovering that this year's Enchanted Ground, Guelph's annual Faery Fest, would be the last one, I decided to try my hand at something other than vending (which I normally do at this event). I went from making dragons at under 12 inches to making one measuring nearly 12 feet long! This was definitely a challenging task (in a good way) and a revealing experience for me. I discovered that I really enjoyed working large :) I don't have the space to do this all the time and I really am not sure if someone would be willing to pay the shipping charges for such a dragon but I would definitely do it again! Making a parade dragon, or in this case a sea serpent, that's meant to be a little more interactive was really fun.

Seaweed with a denizen of Enchanted Ground

One of the attendees of Faery Fest, who had the most amazing costume I must say, posed with Seaweed!

If you didn't get a chance to see my sea serpent at the festival, Seaweed will as be on display, along with other work of mine at an upcoming gallery show in Toronto! At the end of the month, I will be taking part in a group show, with 4 other artists who are part of WANT (Women's Art Network of Toronto). Here are the details:

Women's Art Network of Toronto

presents

"Object-ivity"

OPENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION- FRIDAY JULY 31st 7-9pm

83 Walnut Ave TorontoSHOW: July 29th- August 12th

What happens when artists create works that expand beyond one dimension? Do multiple dimensions affect the way art is viewed, the space it occupies within a traditional gallery and how observers interact with the pieces?

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Sorry, it's been a while since I've continued the 'How to' blogs - and they aren't going to sequential, unfortunately. If I took the time to be that orderly, these particular entries would never happen! My artistic progress is fairly organic - especially when I've got several projects and responsibilities on the go - but, hopefully, I will still manage to fit in some "Tea time with a Dragon!" whenever I can. And hopefully you'll be able to join me :)

(Someday I will gather up all these entries into one long, orderly, tutorial...someday.)

So, if you're like me you might have random, partly-started sculpts and dragon bodies hanging around waiting for the next step in their creation. I'm endeavouring to keep these guys corralled, under control and on their way to completion! And I'm hoping to have more time in the next year to do just that!

Here is my latest dragon-making session which reveals some tips & tricks behind my process. And the tea of choice this time; just good ol' orange pekoe tea (steeped very strong) with some milk and sweetened with orange blossom honey. Mmm.

(The wooden stand off to the side is just a hot glue gun stand that I sometimes use to hold my phone for those trickier shots. Also, you can see my favourite colour shaper below because it has a build-up of glue from over the years that I peel off periodically. That cone-shaped tip is just the right shape, size and pliability for smoothing paper between dragon toes!)

The plier/cutters in the image won't be needed for this session but I left them in because in my last 'how to make a dragon blog' I forgot to mention how handy this tool is! The dual pair of cutters/needle-nose pliers were given to me by my Dad and I have loved this tool ever since. So handy - less fiddling for multiple tools - just flip back and forth to whichever one you need! (However, I also have a smaller set of normal wire cutters and needle-nose pliers needed for finer work on occasion.)

My method of choice when it comes to papier-mache is commonly known as the 'strip method' - as opposed to the 'pulp' method. With the strip method you alternate paper strips and adhesive to build up layers to a desired strength and thickness.

I often use unbleached coffee filters to slowly build up smooth layers on my dragons. These make a great starting medium (or finishing layer too, if you plan to paint) because coffee filters have long, strong fibers that, by design, won't break down when wet. The one tricky thing about them is that it is difficult to find the 'grain' when you are trying to tear even strips. If you're not sure what I mean by grain, try taking a newspaper; hold it as you normally would to read it and then tear strips from top to bottom. You'll find there is a grain to the paper and you can tear fairly even, straight pieces. If you tried to do this from the other direction, across from left to right, your strips would be much less controlled and more jagged-y.

The size and width of the strips you'll need to tear will vary on the size of the area you want to cover. Small strips are needed for longer, narrower areas such the tail and neck of your dragon. You'll know your pieces are too big if you have too much puckering of the paper as you attempt to smooth it down flat. Also, if you're just starting the first layer or so, you don't need to get rid of the finished edges of the filter. But in later stages you'll definitely want to gently remove just the last bit of that rounded edge - because hard, finished edges of paper show up on the surface and make for a less seamless finish. It's the torn, tattered edges of the paper that mesh together and make for a smoother appearance.

When smoothing on glue and strips, I use both my hands and my colour shaper (if I'm expecting to be interrupted, like knowing I'll have to answer the phone etc., I use the colour shaper so to avoid sticky hands!) You could also substitute a cheap paint brush instead of a colour shaper if you have that on hand. Make sure the bristles are not too long and soft though, or you won't be able to put enough pressure down to smooth your strips.

Pour a little bit of your white PVA glue into a seal-able container - AND DON'T ADD WATER. No water, you say? I know that most every other paper mache tutorial will say to mix water and glue to a specific ratio - but, personally, I don't use any water. That is how I work and it's much less messy and efficient for me. Plus, it dries much faster. Perhaps it works because my pieces are so tiny that I don't have large surface areas to coat with glue so there is very little time for the glue to dry out. That said, however, working with straight glue does mean you have to work fairly quickly or your surface will become too tacky and you run the risk of disturbing the paper pieces you've already laid down by having them stick to your fingers or your tool as you lift them away.

Note: I also add my paper strips completely dry! Some tutorials will suggest that you run them through the glue in your container, smooth off the excess and lay the glue-saturated strips, one at a time on your sculpture. I'm not saying that my methods will work for everybody, but dipping every strip in glue first would be way too messy and fiddly for my tiny dragons!

This may take some practice, but that's what I've learned to do over the years and it saves clean up, time and makes it easier to come and go from a project. Plus, I can even take a small kit of supplies with me if I plan to work somewhere else other than my studio space.

Basically, what I do is take my finger or the colour shaper and apply glue smoothly and evenly over the area where I intend to lay a strip. Remember to over-estimate the area this piece will cover -that way you don't have to go back and disturb the paper by trying to apply glue to the underside of edges that won't stick because your glue coverage wasn't thorough enough. Then smooth another coat of glue over top of the recently applied strip, taking extra care to smooth out any wrinkles and flatten the edges. When you are working with straight glue, it's a fine balance between too little glue and too much glue and the balance is only learned with experience. So, perhaps it would be good to practice first on a less important surface or a smaller project.

My trick is to smooth the paper as quickly and thoroughly as a I can before the glue becomes too tacky and lifts the fibers when my finger gets too sticky. If you have to go back and re-smooth an area, get a little more glue on tip of your finger, or colour shaper, so that you don't stick to the area in question. Also, periodically, make sure to clean your fingers and your tools because, if you don't, that build up of glue will eventually start sticking to your project and peeling off your fingers, leaving unnecessary - and avoidable - bumps in your surface!

Another thing to remember; get up occasionally and walk around. If you're hunched over your work area concentrating on laying strips - as methodical and therapeutic as that can be - it pays to get out and take a breather!

In fact, get outside and get a breath of fresh air.

If where you live is anything the same as where I am, the air is extra FRESH out there these days!

Go for a walk.

Enjoy nature.

And come back refreshed for continuing on with your projects.

(Although, if you're like me, and you get so into your work; eventually you look up at the clock and the time has flown, your tea is cold, and you forgot to eat lunch!)

Please follow my blog to join me for the next Tea Time with a Dragon session!

Or - if you can't wait that long, please follow me on Pinterest where I've dedicated a board to my behind the scenes photos to document my work process. If you have a question about a particular tip or method please comment on one of the images there and I'll try to follow up as timely as I can!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

"Actually, Chinese people are also not quite sure about that. In Chinese the word 羊 (yáng) is a generic term, and can refer to a sheep (绵羊), goat (山羊), ram/buck (公羊 male sheep or goat), 羚羊 (antelope), etc. There is a lack of clear definition on the zodiac "Goat" in Chinese history."

In either case this animal symbol stands for tranquility and the arts. Which is reassuring - I, for one, am very much longing for a year of harmony & creativity.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Hope the winter weather (depending on your location) is treating you well! We've already had a first dumping of snow, which has long departed, but I can't wait for more!
Yes, I know. But it's so necessary to get in the Christmas-y mood! So far I've had a good head start with some of the festivities below...

Ice sculpture at the Christkindl Market

Bird's eye view of Christkindl

Christkindl Market

And for the very first time I got to see Elora's Night Christmas parade which was truly lovely - and got to visit our friends' new Bed and Breakfast: The Flying Leap!

We had such a nice time. Karen and Edeltraud are always wonderful hostesses and their new B&B is truly charming.